Heart by Heart
by ActingReacting
Summary: Henrietta arrives at the Institute after the Clave decides her time would be better spent keeping the demon population under control. Tensions are high between her and Isabelle, but what happened in the past to make Jace so cold to her? Rated M for swearing, abuse, and possibly smut in later chapters!


A/N:

So, this is my very first time posting on . Before, it was always lesser fanfic sites, things like quizilla, places like that. Anyways, please try to not be so hard on me, if you decide to review (: I'm a firm believer in that if you're going to deviate from the original story, it shouldn't be anywhere near the same story line. So this is set after City of Bones, and instead of them not turning out to be siblings, it's true. Jace and Clary are blood siblings here. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

The familiar clang of heels on the Institute's floors could be heard echoing through the entrance. Hodge, the Institute's keeper, didn't even bother to look up, under the assumption that it was Isabelle, coming home early in the morning.

"Not even a hello, Hodge?"

The owner of the voice was a young woman, probably seventeen or eighteen years old, with long brunette hair. She was dressed in a tight red top with a high collar, black leather shorts, and knee-high stiletto boots. Her features were sharp, but graceful, with high cheekbones and perfectly-arched eyebrows. She rolled a small suitcase behind her, packed with all her things.

Hodge, who had been previously reading one of his many books from the library, nearly dropped it upon sight of her. "Henrietta." He choked on her name. "What are you doing here?"

She glowered. "The demon population in New York is increasing; the Clave thought my time would be better spent keeping it safe." She looked around at the high vaulted ceilings. "This is the only Institute around, and I've missed being here."

"Jace won't be happy to see you here." Hodge said quietly.

Henrietta sighed and looked at her feet. "I know he won't, but there's nothing I can do about it." With the thought of Jace came his sister. Her head snapped up. "Is it true that Clary Morgenstern is alive and in this very Institute?"

"Yes."

"And Jace?" She asked, spacing off slightly.

"Her brother," Hodge said shortly. "Valentine hid Jace and raised him, before presenting him as a Wayland. Jace didn't even stand a chance."

They were both silent for a moment, then Henrietta's stomach growled. "It's been a long journey, and I'm tired," she said. "Can you take my things to my room so I can go down to the kitchens?"

Hodge nodded and disappeared with her suitcase.

The weather outside was gray and cloudy, leaving very little illumination for the Institute. Had she not lived in the very halls before, Henrietta could easily have gotten lost. She made her way down to the kitchens, and tied her hair up before entering.

"Hodge says we'll be having another guest in the Institute. She should be arriving today."

Henrietta froze as someone else entered the kitchen. She recognized that voice, it was Alec Lightwood.

"Do you know who it is?" That was Isabelle.

"I don't know," Alec said, then his voice dropped to a whisper. "I heard it was Hettie."

Henrietta ducked back behind the refrigerator, sliding into the small space between the fridge and the counter. She had to keep her cool, or risk looking like an idiot in front of the people she once considered friends.

"No way," Isabelle said. "Hodge would never allow Henrietta back into the Institute, not after what she did to Jace. He loves Jace way more than he likes her."

"Is that so?" Henrietta stepped out from her hiding spot, tossing an apple up into the air and catching it. "Hodge seemed to like me just fine ten minutes ago." She glared at Isabelle.

Isabelle's face was livid. "How dare you come back to New York?" She demanded. "Nobody wants you here, why don't you just leave?"

"The Clave wants me here," Henrietta snapped.

As Isabelle opened her mouth to protest, Alec stepped in front of her. "Hettie, we've missed you." He wrapped his arms around her. "No matter what Izzy says."

Hettie hugged Alec back. "I've missed you too, Alec."

He brushed her hair back, looking at her sadly. "What are you doing here, Hettie?" He asked. "You know how Jace will feel about this. Are you staying in your old room?" Her room, before she'd left, had been the one right across the hall from Jace's.

"Yes," she said, pressing her forehead up to his. "But I don't intend on seeing him today, Magnus Bane is having a party, so I'll be there tonight instead of here."

Isabelle laughed. "You can't get into Magnus' parties without an invite, especially being a Nephilim. You know how he feels about us." She gave Alec a knowing look, who blushed in return.

"I have an invite." Hettie pulled a small golden card with white lace writing out of her pocket. Magnus' neat-but-messy handwriting was scrawled at the bottom.

"Maybe we'll see you there, then," Isabelle smirked, giving Hettie a once-over before heading out of the kitchen. "Your warlock seems to have a thing for a certain Shadowhunter."

"Ignore her, I'm pretty sure she's PMSing." Alec said, laughing a little. "What are you going to wear tonight?"

"You cannot change the subject like that, Alec Lightwood!" Hettie practically yelled. "Are you dating a warlock, you sexy bastard?"

Alec's face flushed red.

Hettie looked like she had just stepped out of a high-class strip club. Her normally straight hair was curled, and fell just past her shoulders, and her makeup was caked on, with dark eyeliner lining her eyes. She wore a silver, long-sleeved tunic that was tight around her chest and stomach, and flared out at the bottom, and black leather leggings, along with her highest pair of silver boots.

She reached down and tucked her Steele further into her boots. It wasn't the only weapon she had on her person; knives of all sorts and sizes were hidden among her person. If she was going into a party filled with downworlders, she was going to be safe.

Hettie took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The guard, a short Asian man, peeked through the peephole, and she flashed her invite in front of her face. The doors unlocked and opened.

"Welcome, Nephilim." The guard said reluctantly, and he let her in.

Magnus' apartment had been turned from a typical two-bedroom home into an array of magical beings. Faeries, lycans, vampires, demons, warlocks, and mysterious other downworlders crowded around the bar and dance floor. His once-white apartment was now colored in gold, with red drapes hanging from his ceilings.

Hettie tugged her sleeve down over her runes, trying not to make a scene.

"Henrietta, my dear!" Magnus' voice boomed over the loud music. "I've so missed you, darling." He wore tight black pants and a glittering gold top, his hair spiked straight up. "Where have you been these past few years?" He wrapped his arms around her.

Hettie laughed. "Idris, my dear one," she said. "I've been in Idris."

"Come," he led her to the bar. "Have a drink with me."

"She can't, she can't hold her alcohol."

Hettie froze at the familiar voice behind her. She closed her eyes tight, hoping it wasn't who she thought it was. But as she turned around to find the source of the voice, there was Alec, Isabelle, and –

"Jace," she breathed. "What are you doing here?"

His hair, once shorter, had grown since she'd seen him, and his face was more angular. He looked…older. The look he gave her was unreadable. "I should ask the same of you. What are you doing out of Idris?"

"The Clave thought her time would be better served here, in New York." Isabelle interjected, a smug smile winding its way onto her face.

"You knew she was here?" Jace turned on Isabelle. "You knew, and you didn't tell me?" His voice raised a little. "Is that why you brought me to this party, because you knew that she would be here tonight?" His hands curled into fists and he stormed off.

Hettie grabbed the drink off the bar. "I'm going to need this." She said, downing it and heading after Jace.


End file.
